Michigan! The real post:)

We got an exit row! Dad spent hours (literally) on the phone with Delta to get us these seats.



Collin played the violin! So awesome!



Ashlyn has a beautiful voice!



I can't believe she is growing up so fast!

We loved the time we spent with our "Michigans".

 

So for the last 2 days I have been trying to blog about my trip to Michigan.  It was wonderful and the perfect cure for the January blues.  Even though it was cold outside, the warmth that came from being with Ryan, Liz, Collin Ashlyn and Shaylee, felt like being in the Florida sunshine.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

 I didn't bring my camera on the trip because Dad brought his.  But the bad thing is, I forgot to get it from him before he left for North Carolina. (He really got ripped off because he only got to stay for 1 1/2 days:(.)  But no problem, I have this wonderful new phone that takes pictures.  But actually there is a problem. I spent almost 2 hours yesterday trying to get them off my phone.  I even went to a geek blog to see how they had done it.  "Just email the pictures from your phone to your email address."  Right!  That didn't happen-couldn't figure it out.  So today I got Dad's camera and slid the picture card into the computer and well-no pictures popped up on my screen.  I believe it is because of a temperamental slot but- AGHHHHHHHHH! 

I will prevail though-as soon as I can get someone (Dad) more computer savvy than me to help:) I will do a complete post. 

This is the Life!!!

A few days ago, I found Panda in this envied place.  In the sun, on our bed (which Dad hates), asleep.  I thought to myself, "She has a pretty dang good life."  Just for a moment I wished I could trade her places, just to be so relaxed enjoying the sun.  Hey-who's up for the beach?!

Honors for Grandpa

About 3 years ago, the Albanian ambassador to America was visiting UVU in Orem, Utah.  At that time, he presented a certificate of commendation to Grandpa and Grandma for their work in Albania on their mission.  He said that the work they did changed the health care in Albania.  Grandpa taught at the medical school and Grandma worked with malnourished children at the dystrophy hospital.  What a difference 2 people can make!

A few months ago, Grandpa learned that the weekly case studies that he started presenting at the medical school are still going on 12 years later.  The communication between departments has vastly improved the quality of care at the hospital.  There has also been a care center built closer to the people to care for their children instead of having to take them far from home, to the original dystrophy hospital where Grandma worked. 

Everyone can make a difference no matter where you are.

Does it look like the picture?

I tried this yesterday and it turned out well.  I don't usually have such success on the first try so I wanted to show it.  This cake has 1 pound of butter in the cake plus filling!  Anything with that much butter has to be good right?

Personal History

 

My sister Sandy and I are working with my Dad to get his personal history done.  It has been a wonderful experience getting to know more about my amazing Dad.  We have laughed and cried as he has told us stories from his youth.  We are through his junior year of high school.  He was in "Our Town", played in the band and orchestra and was in student government-can you say "highly motivated"?!  During the session as he was talking about his high school years, my sister asked, "Dad, who was your first girlfriend?"  He said, "Do you want to see her?"  Heck yea!  So-the greatest thing-he pulled out his yearbooks from high school, yep-1940 and 1941, and we saw her and got a flavor of his high school years-priceless!

Applesauce!

Our red delicious produced SO MANY apples this year that we couldn't just eat them all so-too many apples to eat = applesauce

 

It's for sure not my favorite thing to do but in the end-6 hours later-all the work pays off when you see this: